4 Islamic articles on: Islam and literature

IslamQA: The Islamic stance on writing novels

[1] Salam, don't know if this is the best place to ask, but I feel you give perceptive answers that make a lot of sense, & you have answered questions relating to writing poetry etc aswell as reviewed a contemporary romantic novel Ayesha At Last on your blog. Personally I hope to one day write young adult novels, except my story ideas are more supernatural like Harry Potter, however I have inner conflict as to how following a career like this will support me in my akhirah

[2] and if it would rather just be a fanciful waste of time. And I’m concerned about writing non Muslim characters (due to my fantastical setting). Sorry if this question is out of place I’ve done a lot of online searching to little avail. Thank you brother.

When it comes to art and literature, you only have to ask: Will the world be better off with this work existing? If it comes to a novel, ask, “Will readers be better off after reading this novel?”

It doesn’t matter at all what your novel is about, as long as you offer something that will help people in some way, whether it is giving them knowledge and insights, or hope, or consolation, or companionship. I have listened to the Harry Potter books from beginning to end possibly over 40 times (I listen to them with headphones when I’m trying to fall asleep), I love the Hogwarts atmosphere and it is one of the greatest blessings in the world, and one of the greatest good deeds, that J. K. Rowling has created a work that can give so much comfort and consolation.

I’m writing novels myself actually. I just finished an Islamic sci-fi romance novel, and I also finished my second novel which is about a young non-Muslim misogynistic guy who converts to Islam for the sake of a girl, has a terrible relationship life, discovers “true” artificial intelligence and becomes the richest person in the world because of that. I know spending time on novels is morally right and praiseworthy because I know people will glean many insights from them, find hope, and have a good time reading them.

Writing novels is like sitting down with someone and entertaining them and making them feel better, while also giving them knowledge. It’s a good deed and a great service to humanity as long the novel is life-affirming rather than nihilistic.

Followup Question:

Assalamu'alaikum, my question is related to the question that was asked about writing supernatural novels, is it okay to write about non Muslim characters? I'm uncertain about presenting a non Muslim culture yet know that is the only option when writing sci fi or fantasy. Many thanks

Alaikumassalam wa rahmatullah,

There is no issue with that. Like I said in the previous answer, the only question you need to ask is whether people will be better off after reading your novel. A novel can provide companionship, or help a person understand social or technical issues, or motivate them to be better. As long as the likelihood of your novel being a positive influence is greater than the likelihood of it being a negative influence, then it is acceptable to write and publish it. It makes no difference whether your novel is about Muslims or non-Muslims, and whether it is about the real world or imaginary ones.

IslamQA: Making art that serves God as a Muslim

Salam, how can I make my art serve God? For example it suggests of the poets at the end of Surah Ash Shura? Many thanks

Alaikumassalam wa rahmatullah,

The possibilities are endless. But it is important to know the difference between religious art and religious propaganda. The fiction works of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Jane Austen, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Leo Tolstoy represent true Christian art. They show you what it is like to experience the world through the spiritual awareness that Christianity brings–without talking about Christianity.

Great religious art enables everyone, including non-religious people, to experience what it feels like to have religious experience. For example a good poet can write a poem that enables the readers to know what it feels like to go on Hajj while barely speaking of any of the technicalities of making the pilgrimage.

Speaking more generally, producing anything that is truly beautiful can be considered a form of worship, because beauty enables people to come face-to-face with God (see my essay on beauty). Just seeking to be a great artist can be a form of serving God.

IslamQA: Does Islam oppose poetry?

Salamalaikum, according to several hadiths, is all poetry that is not Islamic in subject matter not permitted or disliked? Esp regarding this hadith: "It is better for the belly of any one of you to be stuffed with pus rather than to stuff (one's mind) with poetry"?

Alaikumassalam wa rahmatullah,

The hadith you mentioned speaks against dedicating too much time and effort to poetry as was the habit of some Arabs (spending many hours on it daily). But I haven’t seen any hadith that declares a general prohibition on poetry. Ali b. Abi Talib RA, Imam al-Shafi`i and many other scholars composed poetry, and their themes weren’t always religious. The Quran speaks against poets for their boasting and false exaggeration. But it approves of poets “who believe, perform good deeds, remember God often, and do not humbly submit to oppression.” (paraphrasing 26:227). This does not mean that all poetry should be religious. It means that the type of poetry that God approves of comes from a person who has such a character. The poetry can be about anything, but the character of the poet determines whether it is wholesome poetry or otherwise.

And note that the Quran above is talking about the production of poetry, not its consumption. A person can read any type of poetry as long as they have a good reason to do so. But once they find that a particular poem or poet affects them negatively then it is better if they avoid it.

IslamQA: Muslims may write fantasy and romance novels (except for erotic ones)

Salam, I am an English literature major and I really want to write fictional novels one day. With any novels you would hope to speak about an important message, with fiction these ideas are offered like a reflection of reality and in a way that it will connect to a reader. Is it wrong to want to write in a fantasy genre? I also want to write romance within these stories. Is this wrong?

Alaikumassalam wa rahmatullah,

A novel is just a developed form of telling a fictional story. There is nothing in Islam to forbid telling fictional stories, for entertainment for example, even if they contain no moral teachings. So there is no reason to justify them through arguing that they are educational or beneficial. Arabs continued composing poetry after Islam and no one argued that they should stop. Poetry might be justified on the grounds that it helps with the learning and retention of language. But we can make the same argument for good novels.

Besides that, a good novel, that is, one written from the heart by its author, gives us an honest picture of another human’s view of the world. That is extremely valuable, because it helps us see the world in new ways and helps us develop empathy for humans who differ from us.

There is no issue with fantasy or romance novels. Arab culture is full of romance stories that mainstream scholars have no problem with. The exception is erotic novels (as I explain here). Jane Austen’s novels are good examples of romance novels that do not contain anything obscene.

I once saw a fatwa on the Saudi-funded IslamQA.info that said the Harry Potter books are forbidden to read for Muslims because they depict magic. Their view is rather narrow-minded because people can tell the difference between fantasy and reality. Muslims can take what is beneficial from such books while ignoring whatever is un-Islamic.